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BeyondBlue Hi! Check out this post if you're not sure how to start
  • replies: 0

Hi there and welcome to the Anxiety section of the Forums First of all, thank you so much for joining us here. We think it’s amazing that you’ve taken this step to getting support and learning from this Community. You are very welcome here and we are... View more

Hi there and welcome to the Anxiety section of the Forums First of all, thank you so much for joining us here. We think it’s amazing that you’ve taken this step to getting support and learning from this Community. You are very welcome here and we are really interested in what you might want to add to these conversations. We get it, having anxiety makes it hard to share in a public place. Remember, this is anonymous and the Beyond Blue team are here to help if you need it This section is for people who are experiencing anxiety in some form in their lives. This might be in social settings, at work, or just in the day to day. You don’t need a diagnosis to post here. If it feels like the right spot for your post, go right ahead! We know that feeling anxious can make it hard to reach out so we want you to know that getting this far is amazing and a great start. A few tips for getting the most out of this section: Get involved when you can! Posting and replying is the heartbeat of this community and you DO have something worthwhile to share (when you’re ready ) Every experience is different. There is no competition here. We know how challenging anxiety can be and how it comes in all shapes and sizes. What you are experiencing will be respected and supported here. Trust yourself! You are the expert in your experience. This community works because people like you share what has worked for you. Thank you for getting involved and taking a look. We can’t wait to hear from you! Beyond Blue

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startingnew does anyone have this problem?
  • replies: 2

Hi Guys so it has been brought to my attention a few times now, it makes me feel really self concious but im hoping that im not alone in this. so a few months back people were telling me that im constantly scratching. i didnt even notice it until the... View more

Hi Guys so it has been brought to my attention a few times now, it makes me feel really self concious but im hoping that im not alone in this. so a few months back people were telling me that im constantly scratching. i didnt even notice it until then. we thought it was the ADs so i went off those but it still continued. im now on new meds and it hasnt changed either. it was told again to me the other day. so this is the third or fourth times and i keep thinking its the meds but everything has all been changed so its all ruled out. ive now noticed that i do scratch a fair bit, and i tend to get to the point of making sores and then picking at them. im wondering if anyone else is experiencing this.. maybe its seasonal? maybe its my anxiety as i have severe GAD, maybe its habit but id really like some advice on what else to do as im feeling pretty stuck on how to approach this

wate0121 University trouble...
  • replies: 1

I study at university doing a double degree full time. I have never disclosed to teachers that I have anxiety because well I just don't want to I guess. I struggle at uni as it is, I haven't made a single friend in 2 years.. I go to campus for my com... View more

I study at university doing a double degree full time. I have never disclosed to teachers that I have anxiety because well I just don't want to I guess. I struggle at uni as it is, I haven't made a single friend in 2 years.. I go to campus for my compulsory lessons (most of the time) then I leave straight after..I sit by myself, rarely converse with others but I've been doing OK I think.. Well the problem isn't my quality of work .. it's the fact that my anxiety lets myself often miss compulsory classes.. even if I've told myself you going to that class tomorow, go to bed early, all my works up to date, and wake up early... I'll get ready to go and then the smallest thing like for example; I forget I need to get petrol on the way and then I tell myself that now the time I've allowed to get myself to uni isn't enough to get petrol too so I'll be late and then ill have to walk in late and then I find myself deciding oh yep nope it's way too late now I'll just stay home. We have to complete placement (we did last year too so it's not new to me) once a week for 10 weeks this year ... and first I was excited to go.. I emailed the site and didn't get a response.. Waited and waited and then emailed once more.. no response... by this time everyone else in the topic has started placement and I'm waiting for a response.. I call up and the manager isn't there so I just kind of give up for a week or so... by this time everyone else is on there 4th week and I'm not. Finally I get a response and am meant to start that week... but of course my anxiety kicks in.. and for 3 weeks I tell myself on Tuesdays oh nah not tomorow I'll go Friday.. Friday rolls around... I'll just go next Tuesday.. so im now about 7 weeks behind and the uni Liason visit is due... she goes there I'm not there and she calls me...(I've managed to not move from bed when my alarms gone off) and make up that I'm sick and I'll go twice of the next fortnight... and when asked what day up to out of 10 days.. I freak out and say day 4.. even though I haven't started.. I go this week finally!!! and LOVE it and can't believe why I was so anxious.. except by now my uni liason has spoken to the manager and knows I've lied and haven't been in for those 4 days... She's now reported me for a discrepancy in what I've said and I have to go in for a meeting to pass...WHAT DO I SAY!!! I don't want to tell them but I'll have to and now I'm freaking out and cannot think of anything else . HELP

sophialy making stupid mistakes and needing help
  • replies: 6

this is my first post. I am sorry if I do something wrong or post it in the wrong place. Since February this year I have been noticing changes in my attitude towards many things. My parents have never exactly been relaxed with each other and get into... View more

this is my first post. I am sorry if I do something wrong or post it in the wrong place. Since February this year I have been noticing changes in my attitude towards many things. My parents have never exactly been relaxed with each other and get into verbal fights quite often. This would stress me out as I am fearful of my father who has threatened me before if I were to interfere. My friends at school have been telling me I am getting fat and would snatch food I bring out of my hands, forcing me to not eat the entire day. I have not told teachers this, since my friends say it's better if I eat as little as possible. This has now made me extremely anxious of what others think of me and began to venture into other alternatives to skipping. I dealt with this for about 4 months but for the past 3 months I have began to purge often, almost weekly. I do not enjoy it but I believe it will make my friends think better of me and possibly make them respect me. This stress makes it difficult to focus on classes, my grades have been slipping, which does not aid in my parents situation. My parents have been fighting a lot more lately and restrict my technology use meaning I cannot message family members or call a counselor. I am trying to fight this on my own, without friends, without parents but I am beginning to crumble. I don't find things as amusing as I used to. My purging episodes are becoming more frequent, to the point where I feel so weak I lay on my bathroom floor. Even now, I'm crying while typing this. Please someone help me.

The_Sensei Experiencing anxiety and depression, worried it's about my relationship.
  • replies: 2

Hi Everyone I'm new to Beyond Blue and this is my first time posting. A little background about myself i'm 30 years old and over the past 6 months have developed allot of anxious and at times depressive feelings. My parents divorced when I was 14 and... View more

Hi Everyone I'm new to Beyond Blue and this is my first time posting. A little background about myself i'm 30 years old and over the past 6 months have developed allot of anxious and at times depressive feelings. My parents divorced when I was 14 and my father passed away suddenly 6 years later we had a strained relationship when I was growing up but had grown closer prior to his death. Throughout my life I have always been a pretty positive person and generally have coasted through life until this year. At the begining of the year me and my partner of 8 years decided to part ways which was for the best at the time and at my place of work there have been allot of sudden and radical changes which at times have been very challenging as I am at a managerial level in the company and am relied on to implement allot of these changes. Around 6 months ago i started feeling very down and then started to have these overwhelming feelings in the pit of my stomach. It got to the point a few times when I would have to walk out of the office and go sit on my own for a bit and do my head space app. During this time I have actually reconnected with my partner who I love very deeply and really do want to make things work with and have a happy life together. I initially thought that my anxious feelings might have been because i missed her but they are continuing to plague me. My feelings are very up and down some days I feel great and experience really great feelings about her and work isn't so bad, but then I have days where i feel like shit and I begin to question everything with her "do I really want this", "will it work", "will I hurt her" and then begin to feel guilty and makes me feel even worse. Has anyone experienced feelings like this? I know when my head is clear and I can tell my self that this is the anxiety that's making me feel this way that I do feel better and really good, but far out some days get hard and it really can pull me down. I am seeing a counsellor through work which i find really does help. He thinks allot of issues from my parents divorce and the death of my father that I never fully faced when I was younger have started to come to the surface. I'm taking a month of work and going on a holiday with my partner which i haven't done in 3 years so hopefully getting away from work will help calm things down. Has anyone got any advice or gone through anything similar? Is it worth seeing my GP and talk to him?

Felby my daughter is going away and I freaked out
  • replies: 1

I have been coping on a thread all week. My daughter is going to India on a school trip tomorrow. I have been working on every strategy about managing but feeling the anxiety creep up and up. tonight I stopped coping and went into a full blown panic ... View more

I have been coping on a thread all week. My daughter is going to India on a school trip tomorrow. I have been working on every strategy about managing but feeling the anxiety creep up and up. tonight I stopped coping and went into a full blown panic attack. BUT she is packed and ready, but online i cant really explain why i feel so shit - but ill try, She was all ready but then she checks in with her dad (my ex), and the ex family, and they question everything. and then she questions me , and my anxiety ramps up, why do they undermine me? She is ready, we have got everything ready together, but they get under her skin and she turns on me...

kaykay92 Horrible physical symptoms
  • replies: 5

Hello everyone and thank you in advance for reading, I'm 24 years old and have had issues with both depression and anxiety from the time I was a teenager but was able to, for the most part, manage my symptoms through diet/exercise, meditation and see... View more

Hello everyone and thank you in advance for reading, I'm 24 years old and have had issues with both depression and anxiety from the time I was a teenager but was able to, for the most part, manage my symptoms through diet/exercise, meditation and seeing a naturopath/taking supplements. After feeling quite low last year I decided to give an antidepressant a try, and took it for about 8 months before I convincing myself I didn't need it and could handle things in a natural way. So with the help of my GP, I weaned off over a longer period. That was about 3.5 months ago and since then my symptoms have gotten worse and worse, to the point that they are far worse than even before I decided to take the drugs.. Now my main issue is anxiety, I've been suffering panic attacks for the first time in my life and feel horrible physically. I have constant headaches, dizziness, upset stomach, feel very weak and unable to exercise how I previously had been. Concentrating at school feels impossible where it never has been an issue for me. My chest is constantly tight (like someone standing on it) my heart races, and I now have what is considered high blood pressure for my age, which deeply saddens. I believe I've developed "health anxiety" and am constantly fearing something is wrong with me, especially my heart and have been going to the doctors almost every week. They say all the above can be chalked up to anxiety because all tests (blood, ECG) are normal. I'm doing my best to keep it together but it truly feels like my body is falling apart. Apart from the health anxiety I do not "think" anxiously... so sometimes it feels like my body is the one with the problem, but I know the mind and body are deeply connected. Even when I feel excited to go to class, my body reacts in these terrible ways, so its awfully confusing. I've been seeing a great CBT therapist for the past month and that has been helpful, but I do feel I need something more because of these physical symptoms. My doctors have recommended I begin antidepressants once again and I have resisted but now feel that perhaps I should as I cannot continue feeling this way and truly believe I have exhausted all other options. I have some fear regarding starting them, despite being on them in the past, and feel somewhat shameful of needing them which I know is stupid. I'm curious if others have experienced similar, nearly 24/7, symptoms and if they've chosen antidepressants to help with them? Thank you!

Safeasmilk Anxious about working future
  • replies: 5

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had any advice or had been in a similar situation. I love my workplace and colleagues but I have been doing the same roll for the past 3 and a half years. I am starting to worry where my future lies within the compan... View more

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had any advice or had been in a similar situation. I love my workplace and colleagues but I have been doing the same roll for the past 3 and a half years. I am starting to worry where my future lies within the company and wondering if there is any chance to take on more responsibility and or increase my pay. I think my role maybe limited to my current duties and I find I fear approaching my boss for more to do, but I'm starting to feel unchallenged. I don't want to seem ungrateful as they showed faith in me and gave me my first opportunity and it is a great work place which has given me excellent work/life balance but I am increasingly getting frustrated which is starting to show such as today. Finding a new job is an option but at the moment I am currently trying to get finance approved for a house which will make it difficult. Anyway thanks for listening to my ramblings, any advice would be great. Thanks Ben

kned Having conversations
  • replies: 6

I've worked out over the years that im generally a quiet person and very internal with my thoughts and feelings. I dont know whether it's my nature or social anxiety (which I do have). I really struggle at times when I don't know what to say. I feel ... View more

I've worked out over the years that im generally a quiet person and very internal with my thoughts and feelings. I dont know whether it's my nature or social anxiety (which I do have). I really struggle at times when I don't know what to say. I feel like people find me awkward and avoid having to talk to me. When I get to know someone well, I open up a lot more. Even in my job, I've become known as the quiet one. I'll happily be apart of the conversations, giggle and laugh and use non verbal communication to agree/disagree but I barely speak unless I really have to. My colleagues make comments about it and I feel humiliated at times. Sometimes I have things I want to say but get too anxious to speak up. Other times I don't have anything to say and im happy to just listen and be involved without saying a word. Is this something to accept as being who I am? Or is there a way to get past this? I've worked with a therapist before who gave suggestions on small talk but I sometimes think it's not that, it's just that im quiet in general and literally have nothing to say, preferring to remain out of the focus/attention.

ConZo Help, honest advice needed.
  • replies: 9

I'm struggling with health anxiety and it has really started to consume my thoughts for 90% of the day. I was affraid of doctors until I recently forced myself to get a regular GP after having what turned out to be panic attacks, he has confirmed anx... View more

I'm struggling with health anxiety and it has really started to consume my thoughts for 90% of the day. I was affraid of doctors until I recently forced myself to get a regular GP after having what turned out to be panic attacks, he has confirmed anxiety but puts me through every test he can saying that it's for my own good as I respond to reassurance. The doctor suggested I take something and after three different scripts because I read side effects and freaked out we settled on medication and I started therapy on a mental health plan, he advised the two will compliment each other for a better result. The problem is I'm two and a half weeks into my medication and I am still consumed by health worries to the point I sit on Google constantly when I know I shouldn't worse still the pills side effects diahrea (which I already had) and sleep interruption are making it worse. I wake up at 3 or 4 am every day regardless of exercise and bed time, I have also stopped all alcohol and coffee in the last three weeks. I keep getting told to hold on as they take 4 to 6 weeks to start working but whether it's about the meds or some other ailment this health anxiety crap really has me fully consumed. I have two young boys with my partner, 4 and 2. I feel like I can't even look after them at the moment. My partner is also going through a tough time at work and with looking after the boys practically on her own so she is worn out and simply has had enough of trying to reassurre and I don't want to wear her down to. My question is where to from here? I'm scared of these tablets, scared of many different health ailments and I cannot stop obsessing. My therapy visits are always tep weeks apart and I cannot afford to pay to gp more frequently but I am just so scared of worrying so much, the anxiety and where this all goes. The therapist said my anxiety and health anxiety got to the point where I practically had a break down. How do I man up and stop looking for reassurance? I've tried books, talking to people, motivational material and it all only ever works for a day. I'm scared it's turning into depression now as I am getting more and mor down about the constant worry and taking pills etc. Thank you.

lindam Depression and anxiety ... so tired
  • replies: 10

Hi I'm new here. Have read quite a few threads and can totally relate. I have high anxiety and depression though I feel my anxiety is the cause of the depression. I wind myself up to the point where the depression sets in. If you want the worst case ... View more

Hi I'm new here. Have read quite a few threads and can totally relate. I have high anxiety and depression though I feel my anxiety is the cause of the depression. I wind myself up to the point where the depression sets in. If you want the worst case scenario, well my mind will come up with it. I never seem to have any real peace in my head and if I do I am always preparing for the next bad thing that will pop into my mind. I've been told I have PTSD from a violent relationship in the past. I'm no longer really scared of him... my problems are what my mind dishes up for me. I consider myself very lucky as I managed to get out alive and I have 5 great kids. They are mostly grown and I still feel a bit lost at times because being their mum was my job and I loved it. However I am just so damn tired and really sick of living with my mind and all of it's creations. It is so hard to pull myself out of it most of the time. I know it's bad when music doesn't help as I love love love it. Is this tiredness and maybe even laziness a thing you experience. I would hate to think I am simply lazy.

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